koisuru K
by kitty4
Summary: Sequal to Koisuru Kagome and finally finished. It'sa romance about what happens durning their journey, between the big fights we always see in the manga and anime. Lots of waffiness in the last chapter! IYxKa Please review
1. Depth of ivory

Hi minna-san! This is the sequal, or better a re-writing, o 'koisuru kagome' - yes, I actually -finally- brought it up.  
Well, first of all, thank you very much for all those nice and cool reviews on the original thing! 28 on just one chapter!! I'm verrry happy ^___^, thank you minna-san! Many wanted me to write a sequal and finally I feel creative enough to make something up. So, as a thanks to all those who reviewed (yes, reviewing is actually worth something) I created a longer story with -as far as I see it- three chapters. The first chapter is nearly identical to the one-shot 'koisuru kagome', just the end lines are changed a bit so that a next chapter can follow.  
Okay, enough of talking. I hope you enjoy my story. ^_~  
Btw, I don't own anything.  
~~~~~~~  
  
  
"Oh just look how cute these little fish are!" Kagome exclaimed while she touched the water's surface and played with the fish that kept company with their boat for a little while now.  
It was one of that warm and sunny days in Feudal Japan and Inu-yasha and Kagome where yet once more on a journey to find and collect the fragments of the Shikon-no-tama.  
The two sat in a small fisher boat and traveled down the river for almost an hour now without seeing any people at the river-side nor passing a village.  
  
"I wonder where we're going. Are you sure this is the right direction to reach that castle of this Emperor you heard of?" Kagome asked.  
"Feh. Of course I'm sure!" Inu-yasha responded full of his typical self-confidence.   
"Well, you know, I'm just thinkin' about it being late afternoon already and you remember today is the New Moon..and stuff.. and, you know... ?" Kagome tried to remind her compagnion as carefully as possible.  
Inu-yasha literally growled his cold answer. "As if I could forget".  
-------  
  
The cloudy night sky didn't allow much light to reach the earth but it was bright enough to figure a certain fisher boat which lay now empty at the river-side.  
A few feet away you could hear a girl scream, obviously pretty mad at someone.   
"I told you! I knew you didn't know the right direction!" Kagome screamed through the night.  
They had left their boat behind; they would make a too easy target if they would travel further like that, so they decided to search for some place to spend the night safe until Inu-yasha's force would come back.  
"It's not my fuckin' fault! If you hadn't always interfered, talking every two seconds, I would have actually been able to concentrate!" Inu-yasha shot back  
"So it's me now?!"  
"Yeah wench. It's you!" the dog-demon said sarcastically.  
---------  
  
They walked around a little to find a good place, careful not to draw the attentions of any demons possibly around... at least not more attention as they already had due to their noisy fight earlier.  
However, they found a little cave. It was not big but would do the job for this night.  
  
  
  
--------------------  
Inu-yasha Fanfiction  
by kitty  
  
The depth of ivory  
--------------------  
  
  
The little fire in the middle of the place didn't exactly help anything. It didn't warm one bit, the stone on the ground was icy cold and would stay icy cold no matter what, and the air was chilling as well. The only use you got from that few flames was a little light, just enough so that you could make out rough features. *On the other hand*, Kagome thought, *I wonder if that little light is worth all this smoky air...*  
*This is just wonderful* her thoughts went on, *I'm freezing to death here! This must be the worst place Inu-yasha could have picked out! Outside it's much warmer, we'd have fresh air and... and demons all over us. Arrgh, this is all just his fault, he should have said from the beginning on that he didn't remember the way well enough! That idiot is just too damn stubborn! ... Mmh.(sigh) And he's a bad influence for my language.*  
  
Suddenly Kagome felt something warm being put around her. The first second a short memory flashed through her head, because it felt like when her mother pulled the sheets of Kagome's bed tightly around her little daughter so she wouldn't freeze in the night. Then she would say GoodNight and give her a kiss. It was a sweet memory.  
She looked around her to find a human Inu-yasha standing barefoot next to her, wearing just his white robe while he had given his red FireRat-Kimono to Kagome to warm her.  
She wanted to say something, wanted to ask him a question but nothing of it reached her mouth, just her questioning eyes were directed at Inu-yasha. Maybe it was better this way, otherwise she might have asked if she could get the GoodNightKiss too.  
He blushed a little and looked away over his shoulder, and stared at some point in the wall.  
"You were shaking already. That really looked pathetic" he tried to reason with a sharp tone though he found his voice somehow less sharp than he had intended.  
  
"Ah..I.." Kagome was not sure how to react, she was startled and fluttered and all she could get out was a lame "ahm, thanks..I guess."  
Actually she was endless happy, she had really been freezing and was glad to be able to warm up at least a bit; but no need to show that to him too clearly, she thought. After all that 'pathetic' remark wasn't exactly nice but then again, that was just how Inu-yahsa was. Kagome knew he would never say anything to show that he cared, or at least that was rare. But his actions often betrayed his words, like this time. And she was happy.  
  
"But you're human too. Won't you freeze?" Kagome worried.  
"I'm tougher than that." came the reply.  
  
For some while there was silence.  
"Inuyasha?" Kagome started again.  
"what"  
"why weren't you asleep? I mean, it's 4 in the morning after all and-"  
"-I aint sleepy"  
"why-"  
Again Inu-yasha didn't let her finish. "Listen woman, I don't freeze and I don't have to sleep! I don't care for the needs of this body, so would you cut it out already!"  
Kagome's temper was at heat now as well: "Excuse me that I'm worried about you!"  
"I aint weak!"  
"Well, I can't remember I said that!"  
"But you think it!"  
Kagome was startled by that. Did he really believe she thought him weak while he was human? He was the strongest, bravest guy she ever met, even in human form. He was the best that could happen to a girl... -if you didn't mind his harsh sides...  
  
In a much softer tone she started once again: "No. Inu-yasha, I don't think you're weak. Not even in your human form. You always protect me and don't look on what it might cost you, that is real strength. Besides, your physical strength is even in this state pretty high." She tried to surpress that tingling feeling in her stomach, she had to watch out for her words for not to stumble over them, and as much as she tried not to blush she failed. But luckily it was too dark and Inu-yasha couldn't see her clear enough with his human eyes to notice it. At least that was what she hoped.  
  
"But I still hate this body." His tone had changed as well. Much softer, though 'soft' is relative considdering Inu-yasha being Inu-yasha. "it _is_ weak."   
  
He really thought himself weak, Kagome thought. *Somehow it must be possible to convince him. ... But I can't just say, Inu-yasha you are my knight in shining armor even while human... I have to think of something!*  
  
When she heard him sigh as if he was annoyed with the silence or maybe that she hadn't tried to dispute his last statement, she said the only thing that had come to her mind though she felt as if saying as much as nothing with it.  
"I'm human. And it's not _that_ bad I tell you"  
Kagome feared all of the sudden that he might take it as an accusion, or that he might think he had accused her.  
  
"Mmh." Inu-yasha commented her with a slight smile. "I know that sentence. Kikyou too tried to convince me that humans don't have it that bad. And I tried to explain to her how I felt about it but she wouldn't understand."  
Kagome could make out that Inu-yasha starred at some point at the floor, wearing a lost expression on his face while the fire reflected in his purple eyes revealing a bit of the emotion that tried to show itself there. He didn't often let himself be seen like this.  
"Maybe I understand" Kagome offered quietly.  
"I don't think you would." Inu-yasha responded but with a hardly used soft tone. In deed _soft_ this time.  
  
Silence again. Inu-yasha seemed to be in his own little world, sinking deep into thoughts that threatened to swallow him but he wouldn't take any helping hands nevertheless.  
Kagome was caught up with her thoughts as well. She was very sad about Inu-yasha's last remark. He didn't want to try make her understand, he didn't want to share this with her. At least not with his own free will. It was the same with his change, if he would have had another chance back there he would never have told her out of free will.   
But Kikyou. He had talked to her, if she had been Kikyou a few minutes ago he certainly would have explained again.  
But Kagome was not Kikyou. Maybe she hated that affair so much because sometimes she wished she could be Kikyou; if Kikyou hadn't woken up from the dead and Kagome was her complete reincarnation, then Inu-yasha would... ...he would still love Kikyou, not Kagome.  
It led always to the same. Kagome was not Kikyou. No matter what.  
  
Kagome was reliefed when Inu-yasha broke the silence, probably otherwise she would have brought herself to cry.  
"Though lately it changed."  
"Hn?" Kagome looked up, the shimmer of the fire showing in her watery eyes.  
"With all of you I'm around with many humans and now I don't feel so much like an outsider when I'm human."  
Kagome felt some new hope flicker up, though it felt tiny matching the fire in front of her.  
"Do you mind being human or the lack of your strength?" she asked.  
"Of course I _mind_ my lack of strength.. and being human... well I certainly feel better nowadays about it and when I'm around you because I see that though I'm a weak human I'm still the strongest here!"  
"Is strength so important for you?" Kagome felt small somehow.  
"Hey woman, what is that a question; don't you realize life depends on it!? Mostly your life depends on me as well!"  
*Indeed* Kagome thought, though she knew he refered to protecting her.  
"That's why I can't stand this body's weakness! One can drop dead any second! Living like this is worth nothing." Inu-yasha went on, talking from his perspective of course. Just a few minutes later he realized how his words must sound for full-time-humans, so to say.  
Kagome tried to surpress it but to Inu-yasha it was easy to recognize sadness within her voice.  
"Inu-yasha..., I'm human too and weak in your eyes. But I'm happy even without this great strength."  
"This is because you have me to protect you and be strong. That's why." He couldn't help saying it like that. Because this was exactly what he felt like. When he was human he could barely watch over himself, less to speak protect Kagome. It was his task to keep her safe -it was just this way- and being human was preventing him pretty much.  
There was silence again.  
*Yeah.* Kagome repeated his words in her mind *Happy because I've got you...*  
  
About for 10 minutes neither of them spoke a word.  
But then, at some point Kagome had enough with this heavy atmosphere so she decided to drop all her thoughts and start a new conversation.  
The very next thought, that came to her mind when she briefly looked at him, also found the way to her mouth.  
"You're barefoot, Inu-yasha"   
He looked up at her, wondering about her statement.  
Actually she wanted to continue with something like 'that must be icy cold' or 'why don't you wear shoes to protect your feet from injuries' but she just didn't feel like going on.  
"Yeah, and have always been." Inu-yasha gave his comment finally.  
  
She had to giggle at that, he always had some comment, always had the last word.  
She tried to look him over, letting her eyes wander from the ground up his body. Bare feet, red Kimono, white underclothes, the prayer beads, the long silvery white hair framing a handsome face with deep and mysterious eyes. He really was beautiful, she often had to admit that to herself, like some secret figure of a fairy tale. But of course she couldn't say that so, in a friendly kind, she said "You're strange."  
  
It was dark, yes, but Kagome eyeing him didn't go unnoticed by Inu-yasha. He didn't know whether he felt annoyed or excited because of it.   
"Feh, and that from a girl with the weirdest clothes I every saw."  
-Hide behind argument. Insult. Take the challenge.-  
"Pha, and that from... from..." she tried but her mind kept telling her most unuseful things:  
*...from a guy whose clothes are just normal in his time, from a guy whose body's just so perfect, who has just so handsome features, who has so fascinating eyes...*  
"...who's changing eye-colours!" she finally finished.  
  
"I what?!" Inu-yasha demanded much louder than before.  
"Ah, yes...didn't you know? You change eye-colours when you become human" Kagome hesitantly said, suddenly a bit embarressed about commenting on that.  
Inu-yasha was really surprised, maybe even taken aback. "No, I... I know that my hair becomes dark and with me changing my ears and nose I lose my advantages within two senses...but... I mean I knew that I couldn't see as well as when I'm half-demon ...but ...it wasn't as if I ever regarded myself in a mirrow at that time or anythin'!"  
Kagome gave him a smile though he probably couldn't even see her face. The fire had died down by now, just a very very tiny orange glow emitted from the spot.  
"Well yeah, you know, you change eye-colours. When you are half demon you have a bit cat-like eyes, amber with golden highlights. Sometimes, when the sun is shining very brightly, they look even like golden framed ivory. But when you change then they become a dark violet washing into a deep purpil -still cat-like- but less of the steel and strength and more of a secret depth. Though they are still showing of fierceness and determination -"she suddenly stopped herself.  
  
"ahm, Kagome" Inu-yasha said "it's dark in here, you can't see my eyes right now - can you?"  
"Ah.... no"  
"But -"  
"I just know them"  
  
Kagome was extremely happy that Inu-yasha couldn't be able to see her face. She must be such a deep red that everybody would have started to worry about her health. She simply got carried away, forgot that she was speaking to Inu-yasha instead of daydreaming about his eyes. And that tingle in her stomach didn't help her at all to calm down.  
  
Maybe it's surprising, maybe not, but Inu-yasha had similar thoughts.  
*Darn, what is it with my heart-beat all of the sudden? What's that stupid wench done to me - just because she knows my eyes... why can't I... ...I want to...please Kagome -   
Ahh! To hell with it; so she knows my eyes. What about it?! ... But still I wish I could.. I.. What do you do to me Kagome?!*  
  
It got so confusing.   
So Inu-yasha did what he always did. Trying to run away from any too deep and confusing feelings for a certain girl.  
"You. Sleep now." he commanded.  
  
----------------  
  
  
Two hours later Inu-yasha knew the sun must rise now any minute. It became lighter again, he could already make out Kagome's face.  
She was sleeping peacefully wrapped up in his red kimono. Somehow he liked the sight of her having it around her for a cover. If he wasn't freezing himself so much he would have left it at that.  
However, the thought of wearing the kimono right now still warm from her body's heat, or even sharing with her -just until the sun would go up- it was just so very appealing.  
He would have never admitted it but he was freezing himself near to death.  
  
Noiselessly he crawled over to her, kneeling before her head. He brushed a few of hair strands out of her face and with that had a good look at his fingers. They had no claws, it was a human hand. And it seemed to be made just to touch Kagome.  
"You know" he spoke very very silently "I don't bother it so much." *I thought about what you said before... and...When I'm with you, I don't bother being human*.  
  
Gosh, it felt so good being so near to her, being at her side and watching her sleep. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out. How he loved watching over her like this.  
He regarded her, like she had regarded him earlier in the dark. She was such a beauty, creamy white skin, in contrast her black slight curly hair, and her beautiful face. Thick eye-lashes, cute little nose, inviting lips...  
It felt as if this was his place, the place he so long had been looking for. Next to this girl, while she was asleep. Being human, like she was.  
But that last thing wouldn't leave his mind...  
More and more demanding a question rose in his head, something that he had never even considdered to think about. But within all these feelings and emotions for that innocent black-haired girl in front of him, he couldn't forget about this question:  
How'd it feel if I kissed her? Now, as human?  
Would that be different from being half demon? He knew that he changed also mentally -not that he would ever say that aloud- but he was more sentimental when he was human. So would it feel maybe completely different when two humans would kiss instead of two kinds that were actually not meant to be together? Would it feel different from the kisses that Kikyou had given him? Would _he_ feel different?  
  
She wouldn't even notice, would she. He would steel her just one little kiss, what about it.  
Just for half a second feeling her lips on his, her breathe against his mouth.  
...Geez, he didn't have to make that even more a temptation than it was already.   
  
*She'd be mad if she woke up. Probably she'll never forgive me.*  
Strangely enough, these thoughts didn't prevent him from bending down. More and more thoughts made him doubt what he was about to do but his body was acting on itself. Inches before he would touch her lips a sweet wall of hot breath made him feel dizzy inside. *Weak body*...*or it's you, Kagome*...  
  
"na'sha"   
Inu-yasha opened his eyes, wondering when actually he had closed them. Without having touched her sweet lips he pulled back a bit and studied Kagome's face. She seemed to be dreaming.  
"'nu-yasha...come...lis.."   
He had heard right. She had said his name, even twice. From the rest of her words he couldn't make out anything but the idea of him being by her side even when she was dreaming made him feel good.  
He smiled at her and gave her the slightest and tiniest peck onto her nose.   
  
A little wind came up and made Inu-yasha shiver. Right, it was still pretty cold, a fresh morning. He pulled the kimono-robe Kagome used as cover a bit open to lay beside her - he would be careful to not wake her up and anyway, it would be just a few minutes until...  
  
The first rays of the sun touched the horizon and Inu-yasha felt himself change. I took not even a minute and he was back, white hair, golden eyes, ears, claws, fangs. Inu-yasha was demon again and immediately felt his body's heat catch up to his need.  
"yes... nu'sha" - yet a few other syllables of Kagome's sleepy form.  
While Inu-yasha still held the kimono at one end in his hand, he looked Kagome once more in the face.  
  
She was wonderful, and she was his woman.  
  
--------------  
  
  
  
Inuyasha wouldn't know but soon the two of them created a lovely picture, both being asleep and lying next to each other. Though the hanyou fell asleep outside of her kimono-cover he was sleeping so near to her, partly in touch with her body even, so that every single movement coming from her little form he could certainly feel - even if only subconciously. His arm lay around her whole upper body with his hand resting slightly on her shoulder. His face, uncharacterically, was not in his usual stressed and unrelaxed state.  
  
Inu-yasha lay besides Kagome, and for once his face showed an expression of contentment.   
Kaede would probably say 'Contentment like in knowing you've found your place'.   
  
  
--------  
End, chapter 1 


	2. If only, you and I...

Okay, now here we have the actual sequal. I know it took pretty long to get it out but w-block is a really stupid thing to have and besides, with me having just 5 more months until I finish school I'm a bit stressed out.  
However, please review if you read this new one and it pleases you. The one-shot I wrote is already pretty old, regarding that some authors update on a weekly basis (I really look up to you!) and it's no use writing on it if nobody is interested anymore.  
Besides, I just love reviews! ^_~  
(Btw, I don't own anything.)  
But now, go on reading already ;D  
  
  
  
---------------------  
If only, you and I...  
---------------------  
  
Kagome slowly left dreamland behind and her subconsicousness began to wake up. She felt comfortably warm and felt relaxed, something which was rather a highlight experience regarding the Feudal Era doesn't offer much comfortability. Actually she felt better than in a long time, maybe it was because she had had a nice dream? Probably, Kagome decided. She didn't remember any dreams but she felt very good inside so she most certainly did have a nice dream in deed.  
Kagome opened her eyes slowly, silently welcoming the new day.  
She found herself looking up at a rocky ceiling, oh yes, right - Inuyasha, who was human last night, and her stayed the night over in this cave.  
She caught a bit of her red cover out of the corner of her eyes and immediately remembered Inuyasha giving her his haori [an: upper part of his firerat fur, I think] to warm her. She had really been freezing last night and was more than thankful to have his kimono. Even more so when she realized that it smelled like him, she was practically bathing in his scent now. All of the sudden she found it funny, thinking -with quite some affection- about a guy's scent.  
Speaking of Inuyasha...where...?  
Finally she found herself fully awake, her eyes wide opened now. She could hear and actually *feel* slight puffs next to her. Kagome didn't dare to move, was Inuyasha sleeping at her side??  
She could feel her heart pounding incredibly with the realization and she wondered briefly why he didn't wake from the loud sound of it.  
Gods, she wanted to...she didn't know. He was breathing each warm breath right onto her neck! Gods, that felt sexy!  
*Please let me pass through this* she pleaded at her inner control.  
  
Kagome tried very much to keep her breathe even, she was afraid that if she breathed too fast he would somehow notice and wake up.  
Slowly, very slowly, she turned her head around to his side.   
*okay, just don't wake him up*  
  
There he was. Sleeping, in deed.  
He just lay there, as if it was the most right and normal thing for him in the world.  
He was in his youkai form again. Somehow the last night seemed very unrealistic to her but then again, the situation in which she woke just up was even more unrealistic.  
His face was close to her and she couldn't help herself but stare at his handsome features. His ruffled bangs were practically calling out to her to put them out of his eyes but Kagome found herself blocked even before she would made the slightest movements with her arms.  
She had now clue how or why, but Inuyasha was not only sleeping next to her but he also had his arm laying over her upper body and resting near her other shoulder.  
Kagome blushed as the word 'hentai' briefly flashed through her mind. If this was Miroku -or any other male for that matter- she would have freed herself (if not kicked him away) a long time ago. But she acutally liked this closeness, and even more so she liked that his arm was resting on her the way it did.  
  
Inuyasha sighed in his sleep and Kagome's eyes which had travelled down his arm went back to his face.   
He had such a peaceful look on his face. She rarely caught him when he was asleep and relaxed like that. Actually she saw him just twice contently asleep - for once, the first time she ever saw him and he was pinned to the Goshinboku and second, when sheer exhaustion took over and he fell asleep on her bed. So both times, it was a rather forced 'content' sleep. This time however...   
When he was pinned to the tree she didn't know him yet and the other time she had her thoughts concentrated on the test the next day but this time she could center all her concentration on him. The fact that he was sleeping with her, so to say, that he was actually touching her without really the need for it, it made Kagome enjoy the whole thing even more.  
  
She could *feel* him breathe down on her, she felt the warmth radiating from his body, and where his body touched hers everything was tingling. Kagome briefly fantasized Inuyasha was her boy-friend and this would be an everyday occasion...how she wished it would be like that! She wanted to be together with him so badly and he obviously didn't even check that out. Or maybe he did, but he didn't have the guts to do anything about it!  
Some little voice nudged at Kagome's mind, telling her in a scolding tone that she left out a certain 'topic' concerning her and Inuyasha's relationship, but the school girl just told that voice to go to hell - together with that 'topic'.  
  
Suddenly Kagome felt Inuyasha's arm get tense, he was obviously dreaming about something and Kagome wondered what it could be about... his hand, which was still resting near her shoulder, reached for her arm and pulled her form close to his body. Kagome blushed, being very aware of his touch, his muscular chest...  
Inuyasha took a deep breathe and seemed to relax afterwards though he didn't let go of Kagome - not that she was complaining.  
  
*As if he needs me this close to be at ease* she thought, intensifying her blush just the tiniest bit. She regarded his face again, finding it completely at peace  
...and finding it incredibly near to hers. She would just need to stretch a bit, title her head, and she could...  
  
The thought of it made Kagome already feel warm all over, just this little distance and she would actually kiss the dog-demon Inuyasha.  
She contemplated it a bit, fantasizing not for the first time about his lips, but finally decided that she wasn't brave enough for such a maneuver. What if he woke up?...she would not have any clue what to do or say.  
  
So Kagome closed her eyes, relaxed herself mentally and snuggled close to him, breathing in *his* scent and simply being content at being so close to him for once.  
*Mmh* she sighed inwards *If only...*  
  
  
...  
She knew that she shouldn't enjoy this like she did, and make use of the situation. In the first place, and most certainly, Inuyasha just accidently ended up with her like this. Probably he had slept further away but over night he had turned over and..had somehow...ahm, his arm came around here and...and came nearer until he... Kagome gave up. Why should she try to explain this to herself? She didn't have to feel guilty over anything. *She* didn't do anything wrong, did she.  
  
Kagome had admitted to herself a long time ago that she felt something, seriously a deep and honest something, for the dog-demon next to her, so why couldn't she just let herself enjoy this feeling for short?  
  
To be honest, she loved what he made her feel. Warm and good and very much... she didn't know how to describe it without losing herself at it. She felt as if this was the place where she belonged, in his arms, waking up next to him. Waking up next to him every morning!  
  
She breathed in again, enjoying everything and nothing at the same time, concentrating on the feel of his touch and even more so, the feel of her emotions...  
Then she caught herself at what she was trying to do. She tried so much to concentrate on this feeling inside her, to hold on it and intensify it so that she wouldn't notice about the little name that tugged more and more on the end of her mind until she couldn't deny it's presence any more:   
  
kikyou.  
...  
  
  
Kagome let out a pained sigh and turned her head back towards the cave's ceiling, creating a small distance between their two bodies. Inuyasha didn't react to her movement. This seemed just to add to her sudden sadness. Tears threatened to enter her eyes and she shot them as if this could shot away all these problems that troubled her mind.  
*Why does it have to be like this? So confusing and difficult*  
  
  
She loved Inuyasha, yes. But did that change anything? No.  
  
  
  
The warmth radiating from the body right next to hers which she appreciated so much just a few seconds ago, became all of the sudden too hot for her and she wanted to get out from under the haori. Also it seemed to her as if his arm -which actually was not heavy to her at all- became too heavy and she needed to free herself and get away from Inuyasha.  
It was time to get up anyway, thought that thought didn't ease her heart at all.  
  
  
---  
  
  
Inuyasha's conciousness woke up to some movement. Normally it wouldn't take any longer until the rest of Inuyasha would wake up fully but this time... it felt just sooo comfortable. He had had a decent and relaxed sleep for a change and it was so nice laying here. Just a few moments more of this...warm and nice feel...  
But soon after the movement the warmth was gone and with it that pleasant scent that lulled his senses and all the comfortability too.  
Inuyasha drowsily opened his eyes a little bit to see what was going on and realized that it was just Kagome who got up. He gave a hearty dog-like yawn and was about to give into the tempting laziness as he closed his eyes again and tried to get back to that feeling he had had just moments ago.  
  
*Argh* he complained in his mind *couldn't that wench have stayed a bit longer. It's warmer with her. ... And since when does she get up before me?*  
  
Suddely the whole situation crashed down on him and he got up shocked with one swift motion.  
At first he could only stare, his brows in typical angered fashion, confusion written all over his face.  
Then realization dawned on him when he recalled last night and that at dawn he didn't (or couldn't?) resist the opportunity to lay down next to a sleeping and oblivious Kagome.  
How in the seven hells could he be so careless and sleep in there?!  
He should have known better, her presence always seemed to calm him down and acutally sooth and comfort him. More exactly, when he was just at her room and he could smell her scent all over there it was such a light and still sweet caress to his senses that he just felt like drifting. No wonder that at today's dawn her presence, her scent, her heartbeat, her body...  
  
*What the... Snap out of it already!* Inuyasha commanded himself furiously and blushing.  
He quickly shook his head free of these strange thoughts and tried to get his normal composture back.  
  
He looked to his side, seeing he was in the little cave they found last night, though today, with the light coming through the entrance, it looked much smaller and less broad to him than it did yesterday at night.  
Inuyasha turned around, scanning the whole place, Kagome was out of sight. All he could see was that just another 'beautiful' day in the Sengoku Jidai had begun.  
Begun??! Now wait a minute, the sun was standing quite high already! It was certainly half about to become midday!  
  
*How could I sleep in for so long?? Normally I wake up with the sunrise, I wonder how could I fall asleep in the first place?! And I probably would have slept even longer if Kagome hadn't move-...  
Where's Kagome, anyway?*  
  
Now that was a thought Inuyasha agreed to deal with. He was used a question like this and the thought itself was simple and less confusing than ...other thoughts. Where is Kagome. Easy question, easy task.  
  
*I just find her and then, best to go on with the search immediately. The demon is certainly enough ahead of us by now!* Inuyasha reasoned with himself. *Right.* He hesitated. (...) *Argh, heck, I just leave all this emotional softie crap back at this cave!* he couldn't stop to add before he finally moved.  
  
So, with that plan in mind, Inuyasha took his haori, put the kimono in place and left hurrying for Kagome.  
  
  
---------  
  
*It is frightenly easy to track down this girl* Inu-yasha thought when he found her. She sat at the riverside near the boat they had used the day before and splashed her face with water.  
Unwillingly an image flashed through his mind, an image of Kagome when she was sleeping today at dawn and he nearly kissed her. She had looked so pretty, though it was just a dimn light Inuyasha found her so very beautiful.  
*Well, she _does_ look good* the hanyou tried to excuse. *Now get a grip on yourself*  
Still, he couldn't keep from getting a slight blush on his cheeks while watching her.  
He decided to wait a bit before he would make himself known to her; of course, in the first place the fresh cool water would be very appealing to refresh his tired body a bit and he was thirsty as well, but -as if there was no other option at the moment, he stayed just watching.  
It was strange though. Although she just sat there and washed her face, it was so fascinating to Inu-yasha that he couldn't tear his eyes from her.   
He didn't understand quite himself, he saw her (mostly) on a daily basis and now all of the sudden he found it different from all those other times?! It wasn't as if she did anything outstanding - just washing the sleepiness out of her face. Still, Inu-yash felt as if he could miss something about her if he just looked away for the tiniest moment. That was curiousity then, right? It's okay to be nosy... at least better than -...  
The way the water drops ran down her face, the way she let water flow through her both cupped hands.. she had goose-pimples over her arms and smoothe legs, the water was probably a bit too freshy. After some time she shook her head to get rid of the wetness, sending sunlight reflecting waterdrops everywhere around her.   
After she stretched herself to finally condem the last bit of tiredness and unwillingly giving a very *very* nice view on her well-formed upper body with that, Inu-yasha could finally bring himself to end his stare and look away, his rosened cheeks undenyable now. One part of his body had finally convinced him that he hadn't been watching out of curiousity after all, and so, trying to hide the embarresssment he felt, he called out to her rather roughly.  
*Oi, Kagome. Finish already, we're late as it is!"  
  
Kagome looked up over her shoulder, got up from her kneeling position and turned around to leave the river.  
She wore a little blush combined with a fascinating smile and Inuyasha couldn't help but recall the feeling of having her close to him this morning at dawn.  
  
"Good morning to you too, Inuyasha." she said.  
  
The cold water had helped Kagome to get rid of these confusing thoughts and cool down emotions that were in turmoil thanks to her unusual morning.   
However, knowing that Inuyasha had been watching her seconds ago, actually staring at her, awoke these feelings within an instant.  
She had known him behind her all along because within a certain distance she could *feel* his presence. It was the same with Shippou, she could feel his presence too, just as well as those from other youkai. It was always just a very faint feeling but if she concentrated a bit she could name the person from her feeling, as if she could smell the scent and idetify the persons - just that it wasn't the sense of smell in this affair.  
Inu-yasha's presence was one of the few that felt not cold anymore. It had changed - or maybe she just learnt to read it better, she didn't know, but she knew she liked the feeling. It was a bit like being excited together with this _warm_ tingling sensation in her stochmach, something that recently seemed to intensify steadily.  
Anyway, she had known that he was there from the start and prepared herself mentally for some explanation about last night and his human softness towards her which was of course not meant that way or this morning which had been nothing but a strange unlucky accident. In any case, she definitly would not like to hear it. However, he just remained silent behind her, not saying a simple word.  
Suddenly she felt so very self-concious there, his eyes possibly taking in her every movement - it sent shivers down her spine, creating goose-pimples over her body. She waited for some stupid comment of him but he kept silent.  
*For what is he waiting?* Kagome began to wonder, and growing brave she performed a convincing yawn and a hearty stretch to show off herself a little more.  
  
However, his harsh morning greeting was not exactly what she expected as an reaction. But it seemed to prove to her that he didn't notice her in these ways. Sadly enough.  
  
"Feh. We're late, so get movin'"  
  
Now what was he so moody for? If at all, then *she* was the one who could be moody because of frustration.  
"Well excuse me" she said in an angered tone "but you're the one who slept in so long today..."  
  
  
When she realized what she said and Inuyasha wore a slightly shaken expression Kagome wanted to bite her tongue. Now that was exactly on what she didn't want to remind her or Inuyasha. They never talked about moments like that. The moments where not only rare but also just present when they were happening - no talking and reminding about it afterwards, that's how it worked.  
Embarressed she looked down, blushing, and with that missing to see her friend doing just the same, for once being at a loss for smart remarks.  
  
  
  
---------  
And, what do you think so far?  
I actually wanted to write more to this, I feel as if absolutely nothing is happening here - and, well, it's true. Anyway, I hope I can update this soon, depends on how I get finished with my school stuff. But a few reviews always speed up updating, that's a fact. ^_ ~  
  
BTW, I knew I wrote already but someone asked me again, so I don't know the *exact* meaning of Koisuru but I think it's something like either falling in love with/being in love with/realizing you're in love with/...or stuff like that.  
  
Thanks for reading, till next time (I hope)  
kitty 


	3. Cool Down

Koisuru Kagome, chapter 3  
---------  
Cool down  
---------  
  
  
The dog-demon and the girl from the future sat in their little boat again, following the river further downwards. Inuyasha was, just as usually, sitting at the very front to spy on whatever lay ahead while Kagome sat rather at the end of their thin boat. She let her hand glide through the water, feeling the cool liquids flow which somehow had a soothing effect on her.  
  
The little river had become rather broad though it was probably not deeper than 1,5 meters. However, that made the river go extremely slowly! Gosh, Kagome was bored to no end. Inuyasha hadn't spoken a word, just his back was facing her and that hadn't changed for the last two hours. She didn't suspect him to be angry, he just was like that. It wasn't as if she was worth his attention, Kagome smirked.  
*If I'd feel like it* she told herself *I'd go over to him and make him have a conversation with me* but the heat of the day made her stay seated. It was quite hot by now, it was nearly midday and the sun shone brightly down on them, so Kagome rather concentrated on the coolness of the water on her hand.  
Gods, was this boring! The small boat hardly kept going. Kagome looked for little fish in the water but this time there were none to be found. So she tried to 'entertain' herself by watching the landscape. Mmh. By the speed this boat was going she could have a look at the trees by the riverside for the next five minutes. And if you spent already over 2 hours on a boat then at some point the riverside's landscape (which is in this case just forest, forest and maybe a few trees) will lose the interesting aspect.  
For the third time Kagome had a look through her backpack. She had MCs with her but forgot the walkman. Wonderful. Last time she forgot just the batteries. The past year had teached her to not bring her diskman along as CDs tended to get broken if small children (=Shippou) or big children (=Inuyasha) got their hands on them. She wanted to practise math but how should you practise geometry when you have no calm place to draw the figures on and you definitly need the figures to find a logical solution to these difficult problems. Besides, even when someone would say that the thing about the need to draw figures was just a pathetic excuse, the heat was a killer for any atempt of intellectual affords. She didn't have any other books with her as the First-Aid kit, the food and camping stuff was taking enough place already. And reading the instruction lines on the back of the ramen packs for the third time was getting annoying too.  
Kagome sighed heavily. Gods, was this hot!   
Jeez, that dog-demon being so oblivious to (or unbothered by) her agony unnerved her.   
Everything seemed to go on her nerves.  
  
"Inuyasha, when are we gonna arrive?"   
Kagome suddenly felt as if she was behaving like an impatient little kid who is getting on the nerves of the parents asking that kind of questions.  
Inuyasha however, didn't even twich an ear at her direction.  
She gave an unnerved sigh which she hoped was loud enough for him to register.  
  
  
...  
The sun was burning down on her for purpose, she knew it! She took her cold hand out of the water and swung her legs over to cool them in the river. Their small boat shook a bit from her shift of weight.   
  
"Oi." Inuyasha said without turning but obviously just as unnerved as Kagome was "If you don't want us to go bathing then quit it!"  
  
"The boat hardly shook at all"  
  
"If you don't quit being a little impatient baby then I personally throw you in and you can swim the way" he continued, again without even turning towards her.  
  
  
Kagome looked a bit startled at first but then, surprising herself, she giggled.  
  
The next thing Inuyasha heard was a big splash and in the following moment the boat shook so much that he had to get his hands out of his kimono's sleeves and get a grip on their tiny ship. Then he turned his head around to find no Kagome on board anymore but see bubbles appearing on the calm water surface, showing the way where Kagome was diving.  
  
Finally Kagome came up for the need of air, and turned her head towards Inuyasha and their boat, a grin spread over her face.  
  
Inuyasha at first answered that grin with an own smirk/grin until he realized that he was doing it and got a hold on himself. Turning around fully to her direction he settled down, hid his arms in his sleeves again, all awhile wearing a scolding expression for her.  
  
"Aw, come on, Inuyasha. It's terribly hot, and the boat is slowlier than I can swim. I just swim a bit along, like you said. I'm not gonna keep us late."  
  
"Girl, we ain't on a summer trip for fun! If you forgot we're hunting down a demon with a shard here, so be the heck serious about it! Just if we're lucky we'll catch it at this castle where it's headed. This is serious, so get back in here! Besides, you yourself told me it was 'uncivilized' to bath with the clothes, like 'school uniform' is."  
  
Kagome swam towards the boat and reached for it at the place where Inuyasha sat. She didn't get in though, just let herself drift along with the boat.  
  
"But I certainly had no chance to change into a bathing suit somewhere. Besides, maybe the demon chose the other direction and didn't get alongside the river after all. Maybe it took the other way around the mountain and Miruko, Sango-chan and Shippou-chan tracked it down already. Maybe they have the shard already in their hands and you're playing the bad boy for nothing."  
  
Ever noticed what happens to a *white* blouse -like let's say, a white school uniorm blouse- when it gets wet? Well, Inuyasha did notice that very moment.  
Luckily for Inuyasha he was sitting.  
  
Kagome looked at him quizzically as the hanyou kept so silent. Where was his smart comment?  
  
Inuyasha, however, tried all to keep his eyes or mind from wandering to places where they shouldn't, and had completely forgotten what she had said in the first place.  
Gods, even just a glance at her was distracting as hell. What just was it with him since today?  
  
Good that there was one answer that always fit. "Feh."  
  
  
Splashing a few waterdrops in his direction she said  
"Come on, you big puppy, I know it's hot in that kimono..."  
  
Inuyasha rised his brows at her  
Okay, his mind _was_ now at a place where it shouldn't go.  
  
*What in the seven hells is wrong with me today!!* he thought fiercely *stop thinking in that way about Kagome! Since when would I have so little control over me!?*  
  
  
She suddenly blushed, realizing that the way she said it and the tone she said it in...it may sound for him as if she wanted him to strip now for her. Well, she _did_ mean for him to stip but not in order to please her but to cool down as he certainly was hot..ah, refering to the temperature of course, not any other meaning... arghh! The nice side-effect of him possibly showing off his chest - Why did she think so much stupid things! He certainly did not think so much about one little sentence! Why was he always causing her so much confusion?  
  
Kagome dived in order to cool down her face. She dived down under the boat and reappeared on the other side of it. Turning towards it she found Inuyasha really tugging at his haori and finally he got out of it. But both were busily convincing themselves that it really was just to cool down, still both got rosen cheeks.  
Kagome clang to the tiny ship again, and could cool down again by enjoying the cool water all around her.   
  
Sure about herself again she mocked "You are not gonna start to listen to what I say, are you?" she grined, wet strans of hair hanging into her face.  
  
He, again, didn't turn towards her. "No. But it _is_ kinda hot" he said, just turning back shortly to give her a look. If Kagome saw his face now she would see that he lost a battle about hiding a grin.  
  
  
*You just can't give in, can you.* Kagome thought, though the affection coming along with a thought like this surprised even her. She giggled and Inuyasha turned one ear towards her.  
  
  
  
  
--  
  
  
The boat got some more speed by now with the river flowing just the tiniest bit faster. Inuyasha had decided to not argue with Kagome about enjoying a swim while actually being on a hot hunt. Literally hot. However, Kagome really didn't slow them down and Inuyasha could do nothing to make the boat go faster, running along the riverside was -thanks to the boggy unsteady grounds- neither an option. So all he could do was stay on the boat and wait for them to arrive at a spot where they could travel on land again. The thought about taking so long annoyed him a bit at first but he relaxed as he realized that the day was really extraordinary hot and the youkai they were after certainly didn't come very far either.   
  
  
After half an hour Kagome got tired of swimming along, even more so when the boad caught a little up with speed, so she swam over to their little ship, intend on leaving the cool water and resting on board.  
Inuyasha had put Kagomes back-pack in the middle of the boat and rested against it. By now he wore just his pants since the white shirt-like undercloth was also too hot to wear. To Kagome it seemed as if the hanyou had fallen asleep while he let the warm sunrays caress his stomach. His well-defined stomach, one might add. But Kagome knew from experience that even though he *seemed* to be asleep you could never be sure.  
  
*Maybe he was also awake today morning?* she wondered suddenly while clinging to the boat. She eyed the demon again. Yes, he certainly looked like he took a nap. She really couldn't tell if he slept or not...  
  
*Anyway* she decided *even if Inuyasha was awake...I wouldn't want to change this morning for anything in the world.*  
  
Surprising herself with how convinced her mental voice sounded she shook her head clear and entered the boat.  
  
Inuyasha opened one eye to see Kagome leaving the water. She was dripping with water, her clothes clinging to her feminine form and somehow Kagome's skirt never seemed shorter than today. When the girl had finally settled down in front of him and turned around to face Inuyasha he quickly closed his eyes again and (succesfully hiding a blush due to her still very wet blouse) faked to be asleep.  
  
"Oi, Inuyasha?" she asked in a low voice "You're awake?"  
He didn't move at all, much less answer her.  
  
Kagome made herself comfortable, letting the sun dry her clothes while she regarded her favorite dog-demon. She couldn't help herself but since last night she couldn't keep her attention from him.  
  
Maybe the fact that he lay there, in front of her, with his chest exposed to her, maybe that was enough temptation to keep her attention fully concentrated on him. Gosh he looked so gorgeous; the clothes he wore hid so much of his incredible body. After a few more minutes spent with watching the hanyou Kagome decided it was for the better to look at something different.   
  
  
"It's so peaceful here" she said calmly as if she was talking to the birds which sang from somewhere in the forest's trees.  
Everything looked so beautiful today, the pretty nature, the sun, the clear water...none of the wars, dead people, blood-thirsty youkai and stuff. Just peaceful atmosphere, she realized when she regarded the surroundings for what seemed like the 20th time that day.   
Yes, peaceful atmosphere and just enjoying Inuyasha's presence.  
  
Giving a content sigh she added: "It should be more often like this..."  
  
There were a few moments of silence.  
  
"Are you unhappy with how things are?" Inuyasha said without moving anything but his lips.  
  
"Ah" she said startled, turning her gaze back to him. "You _are_ awake."  
"Why would I sleep durning the day anyway. I'm not some lazy bastard"  
he countered, still not even opening his eyes.   
  
*Maybe you are just afraid that Kagome would catch you staring at her chest.* a little annoying voice plagued Inuyasha's mind. He mentally shot a glare at the voice combined with a powerful "feh" and silenced the voice with that.  
However, he wouldn't have to fear the whole affair as Kagome, as soon as she was on board, noticed the matter and rearranged her clothes, tucking at it everywhere so that by now her appearance was safe to look at.  
  
"Now, now, no need to react so harsh." she said which brought the demon out of his thoughts.   
"I react like I want, bitch"  
  
"What is it with you?!" she said a bit annoyed at his attitude.  
"For one thing, it's hot." he pointed out "Then we- uuaagh!"  
  
Inuyasha couldn't continue his complaint because Kagome bent over him and wrenched out her wet hair over his stomach.  
  
"Woman!" he hissed, letting out a shocked breathe as for the sudden cold while he sat up quickly, his eyes wide opened just to focuse on a futuristic school girl that grinned up at him evilly.  
  
"You said it was hot" she gave a pathetic excuse together with small giggles.  
  
He smirked at her. "Feh. Let's see how funny it is when I throw your whole bag into the river."   
He turned around and was about to get up to make his threat come true when Kagome attached by throwing herself at him.  
  
"Stay where you are!" she shouted playfully  
"Get offa me, you're cold!" he said, struggeling beneathe her though he tried to look out in order to not hurt her somehow.  
  
The little boat shook for a while as their 'fight' went on with Kagome laughing uncontrolably and Inuyasha throwing in an occasional "cold!" mixed with his usual insults or swearings. It was obvious to anyone but them that both were enjoying their game. It allowed them to touch each other without having to explain anything not fear any consequences so each decided to just enjoy. Both tried to get the upperhand and yet tried to keep the fight on for as long as possible.  
After a short while however Inuyasha stopped struggeling and Kagome just lay on top of him.  
  
How they ended up like this, how things would lead to this, well, it was beyond their understanding. But neither did they care. At the moment the situation was safe: both were exhausted due to the heat and the fight and now they rested. Point. Nothing more.   
Pleasant rest, well okay, yes pleasant in deed. But nothing more.  
  
  
After a few more moments Kagome raised her head and placed her tiny hands on Inuyasha's chest in order to get up. Their fight was over now by long. However, before she could move too far the dog-demon pressed her down again against him.  
"Stay put." he ordered.  
  
She kept her head up to look at his face. She was quite surprised to say the least and she sure wore a nice blush but maybe it was just because of the day's and fight's heat.  
  
"Oh?" she tried to cover up "What happened to 'Get off bitch, you're cold'?"  
"Feh. Do I have to explain everything everytime?" he asked annoyed again.  
  
"No" she said simply and lay her head on his chest.   
She didn't want to think now. What he meant, what this situation meant, what everything meant. She just didn't want to know. She just lay there, with him. And that was it, for now.  
"It's hot" he continued as if she hadn't said anything at all.  
"Yes." Kagome added, hardly paying attention to what he reasoned.  
"And you're cool to me"  
"Mmh."  
  
  
---  
---End chapter 3  
  
  
Well, hi guys. Yes, I finally decided it was time to update. I didn't update for quite some time now, the reason is...well, plain and simple school. During january I didn't have much time to do anything but work for school, I didn't even get more sleep than 4 hours in average. However, that's finally over. These days school's off, the last short vacation before my finals start. And what do I do in this vacation? I get ill, that's what. But on the other hand, that gives me time to update, so here we are.  
The story probably will come to an end within the next chapter which is taking place (or better taking time) for the rest of the day and evening. But I'm not sure yet. However, I don't really know the quality of this whole fiction...sometimes I feel as if it's extremely boring -_-...  
Please write me what you think about it. Should I add more action? (On the other hand, in the whole idea didn't fit any action from the start on...) Please just tell me your opinion.  
  
I'm planning on writing a new IY (and Ranma) fiction where Kagome gets into real trouble with the triangle Kikyou-IY-Kagome. So maybe I rather get this one started than continue on K.Kagome. Depends on your reviews,  
  
I don't know when I can update next time, but I hope it'll be sooner than last time.  
Okay, that's it. Greetings to everyone ^_^, kitty.  
Feb 2002  
  
  
~* I decided to cut off this scene, it was at the very end but as it would destroy the boat in the end I had to take it out *~  
  
"Kagome" he said huskily after half an hour.  
"Mmh?" she answered dreamily  
  
"My arm is starting to tingle"  
  
"So...?"  
  
"So you're going."  
  
"Huh?" she uttered, not getting what he wanted to say. In order to have more understanding she raised her head and looked at his face, and discovered an eery smirk there.  
  
"Revenge" he said, graping both her shoulders and... ~splash~ throwing her into the river.  
  
When she surfaced she found Inuyasha leaning over the boat with his arms crossed and his head resting on it. "So sorry" he said ironically while a great grin plastered his face, nicely showing off his fangs.  
  
"You are soo mean sometimes, Inuyasha." she muttered, spouting out water while swiming towards the boat again. He caught her totally off guard, and here she was, thinking he would say something nice to her, like that he enjoyed ...ah, forget it. It was Inuyasha she was thinking about.  
"I could just tell you now that you won't get any..." she crawled into the boat again "Uff,... ramen today evening."  
"You wouldn't do that, would you?" he asked her suddenly fully serious and with making puppy eyes and having his ears down.  
She let out a small laugh at his adorable look, shook her head slightly and answered in a friendly voice. "No. Be happy that I'm so good-natured."  
  
Inuyasha still looked at her. He nodded slighly, his attention seemed a little bit distracted to Kagome. "Yeah." he said "I'm happy. You're the breast--ah best, best! You're the best, Kagome!"  
  
However, Kagome got it, 'eeped' and quickly sat down, covering her chest with crossing her arms over it. When she shoot a glare at Inuyasha she saw him already waving his hands in defence, shaking his head no and muttering some silly words which wouldn't reach Kagome now anyway. He knew as well as she did:  
  
"OSUWARIIIIIIII!!!"  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 


	4. Never grow tired

Well, hello...here I am again, not that you will remember me I guess. I didn't update on any of my stories since january because I graduated what would be college in the States; for about two months I'm finished with school these days and plan now to attend university. Anyway, I've got lots of freetime now and I think it's time I finish this story.  
Honestly I myself forgot about what exactly I was writting here so I don't mind if nobody's interested in updates anymore. Still, I will finish this story for Senay who seemed to really enjoy this very much back those months.  
Senay, thank you for your email, I felt really happy and though I wanted to answer you there must have been an error or something so I couldn't send you anything. I'm sorry about that and sorry that it took me so long to finish k.kagome. This is my excuse, I dedicate this chapter to you - I hope you still have some interest left for the end...  
So now, enough said, please enjoy my story, I sure hope you can! Like everyone else I'd still be happy to recieve a review or two, it's after all the only prove that people read your stuff...^_^  
  
Oh, and one last thing: PLEASE people, update your stories! I'm dying seeing that so many favorite stories here continue to be uncontinued! I be-e-e-g ya  
  
Okay, now to my own update:  
  
-------------  
  
K.Kagome  
by kitty  
  
never grow tired  
-------------  
_____________  
  
  
Around late afternoon Kagome and Inuyasha could finally leave the boat and travel on ground again. The dog-demon insisted on carrying Kagome on his back to make up for the time they may had lost during their slow-pacing journey on the river, though Kagome felt strangely nervous about it. She had been carried by him like this so many times she lost count but she never really concentrated on it neither. Today she did. The whole day, starting at the very first second she was awake, she felt strange somehow, as if such small things like a look of him of their time on the boat, as if they would mean something. Even such an uneventful touch like the usual ride on his back now seemed to... nearly thrill her. It was as if since she had gotten the taste of closeness to him this morning she was now emotionally hungry for a little more of it - if only everything wasn't so one-sided! If only he would care for her like she did, wanted to enjoy this closeness like her too...  
  
Somehow Kagome disgusted herself with how much she loved him by now.  
When had she gotten so cheesy?  
  
Fed up with being so emotionally this day she layed her head heavily down on his shoulderblades and played absentmindly with a few of his silky hair strands and let the trees fly by as he carried her on his back.  
  
  
*Can't she quit that* Inuyasha thought desperately. Not that her playing with his hair was exactly unpleasant -actually quite the opposite- but it distracted him a great deal.  
*If I don't get these stupid hormones under control I might not live through the day!* he scolded himself and only his brows showed his effort in trying to surpress his upwelling feelings back to status quo.   
  
He didn't come half as far as he thought good when one little sigh from her, together with a more comfortable settlement of her head, nullified all of these efforts.   
  
'Feh'ing in his mind he just started to run even faster than he did already.  
  
  
  
  
Nearly an hour passed with the two of them not sharing a word. Both were consumed within their thoughts. Temporary they were about the oncoming battle at this castle they were destined for, temporary they were about Naraku, temporary about their smaller troubles here and there and temporary, just from time to time, they were about just what the heck they would do if their feelings would steadily keep on growing like that.  
  
Inuyasha would partly slow down a bit during uneasy ways while he sped up when they passed wide and straight paths. At this pace they would make it to the castle within the next day, and also they should collide with Miroku, Sango and Shippou sooner or later, probably around tomorrow morning.  
  
Again half an hour passed in silence. Although the hanyou carried a lot of weight at a pretty high speed he managed to be quite noiseless as a matter of fact. The only thing one would hear were rustling of grass and occasionly his panting, which all in all made Kagome hear a sudden thunder -although it was still deadened and far away- echo very loud in her ears.  
  
"Geez Inuyasha" Kagome said quitely yet again loud enough to the both of them.   
His left ear fluttered towards her which showed her he was listening.  
She found that incredibly cute and smiled fondly at him, though of course he wouldn't notice.  
  
"Looks like a summer storm" she continued, finally distracting herself from his ears by observing the sky. In the east dark clouds turned up.  
  
As if to proof her statement it thundered again, a bit louder and longer this time.  
  
She looked back to him and one of the trianglic dog-ears which had listened to the thunder twiched back to her.  
"I guess it's because of all that hot air today" she added a bit absentmindly, her attention again concentrating on those adorable ears of his which practically begged her to pet them, she just knew it.  
  
"This is some wheather, my a$$" the demon mumbled more to himself than to the girl on his back.  
  
  
"Aww" Kagome responded after a few moments "see it from the bright side:" she tried to point out something optimistic "the rain will cool the air which'll make it easier to travel".  
  
"You're riding on my back, how much easier can it get for you, woman?!" Inuyasha snarled as an answer but Kagome just ignored his comment and continued as if he hadn't said anything at all.   
"Maybe we should make a short break to eat something, Inuyasha. I can't make a fire once it's raining and I need it to cook."  
  
The dog-demon turned his head a bit to watch her from the corner of his eyes. He was quite hungry to say the least as they hadn't eaten anything for a pretty long time and besides his limbs were more than screaming for a break.  
  
"You're a nuisance, girl." he said with slowing down for their break.  
  
  
  
  
  
They ate among a few willows and it took only half an hour more until the first heavy rain drops fell accompanied by more thunder and once or twice a lightening in the distance. The willows created a reliable green roof for the two travellers, still it grew uncomfortably cold and so Kagome packed her things together. It grew darker now and she wondered if she should better keep her flashlight in handy in case they would have a cloudy and thus, without the moon, unlit night to travel through. She dived into her backpack, and by the way searched as well for her tiny umbrella but unfortunately she didn't have it with her.  
Inuyasha glanced at the school-girl who at the moment had her whole head vanished within her backpack. He rolled his eyes towards the heavens... such a tiny girl and such a big backpack.  
  
  
The willows soon prooved to be not as reliable as they promised to be at first. It had rained only for a few minutes, and not even the it's-raining-buckets kind of rain yet, and already the first drops started to come through.  
  
"We better get going" Inuyasha anounced. "It's no use waisting time here"  
In response Kagome sighed heavily, seeing she would probably get soaked now, whether waiting here or going on. She walked up next to Inuyasha who was standing at the very eage of the willow's shelter and together they eyed doubtfully the dark sky. It didn't look as if it would stop raining any soon, in fact it looked like a healthy tempest to become.   
The thunder that followed was loud this time, so that the dog-demon's ears went against his head and Kagome grimaced. A cool wind came up bringing the freshly washed air with it and the young woman shivered getting goosepimples.  
  
As appealing as the water had seemed today midday when it had been so extremely hot, now with a cool and wet night in prospect it was a less pleasant thought to be drenched to the bones, Kagome thought miserably. *Can't be helped.* she added in mind, trying to keep her spirits up. After all this was travelling outside and the sun can't always shine, now can it. At least she would have some dry clothes with her to change.  
Lost in her thoughts the young woman hadn't noticed when her friend stripped out of his haori but she did notice it when he suddenly lifted it over their both heads, not looking at the schoolgirl but instead still at the sky.  
  
"I think the rain gets lighter. We should go now until we find some better shelter." he said without turning his eyes towards her, nor even refering in the slightest to where his kimono shirt was hovering.  
Without waiting for an answer from the surprised girl he took a first step into the rain and Kagome had no choice but to keep up if she wanted to stay as dry as possible.  
  
  
  
  
As cover his kimono may serve very well but as a shelter from rain for two people it seemed smaller than ever to Kagome. Her rucksack which hang limbly from Inuyasha's other shoulder was soaking wet already (she thought miserably of her extra clothes) and she was feeling the wetness on her side of the rain too. In trying to get as far away from the cool liquid as it would go she snuggeled up to Inuyasha's side and drew his arm more around her so that her part of the red cloth protected not only her head but most of her upperbody too.  
  
Both kept on walking, nothing happened. Just gust of wind picked up.  
  
Getting no vocal (nor any other) reaction of her rough friend Kagome briefly glanced up at Inuyasha but he kept looking down away from her. She imagined to see a blush... -if only!- ...if she was honest with herself she couldn't really see his face that well and the darkness of the night didn't help her sight either. You see what you want to see after all.  
  
*I wonder what he meant by 'better shelter'. Does that mean he's not gonna push us as far as we can go today? What about the time we lose, and the demon and the shard? Since when does rain stop him?* Kagome pondered, semi-conciously trying to distract her from her imagined blush that wasn't so imagined at all actually. Though Inuyasha really tried hard to get his temperature in check again which was doing funny things to his system.  
Not wanting to be caught wearing a blush though he kept staring ahead. He really wanted to quit the journey for today - within wet clothes and a chilly night Kagome would certainly get sick and even though Inuyasha would never let Kagome know that his reasons were worry he'd rather be a bit embarressed and lose some time on the hunt than have her suffer some sickness. So they took their direction towards a small village.  
  
  
20 minutes later even the fire-rat cloth got damp and Kagome snuggeled even closer into Inuyasha's side in order to draw some of his warmth. Her legs were cold, her shoes and socks were soaked, still she somehow didn't feel that cold.  
She regarded her shoes. Everytime she took a step water would run out of them. Inuyasha with his bare feet had to be uncomfortable too though he didn't seem to mind walking along the cold muddy path.  
  
*Funny* Kagome thought, though wet dogs smelled terrible -she knew from her schoolfriend's pet- Inuyasha still smelled good.   
  
  
  
  
When they passed the top of a small hill they finally could see dim lights in the distance, finally a village or rather, a gathering of a few houses.  
But somehow Kagome didn't look forward to resting in a dry and warm place like one would believe. *I'd rather go on a little bit in the rain like this...*  
  
  
Their little time together would soon find to an end, both thought. Sadly, mind you. At latest by tomorrow they certainly would team up again with the rest of the group and everything would be back to usual standarts.  
Inuyasha reluctantly gave in (but that doesn't mean speaking it aloud) that he had in deed enjoyed the last two days he had spent with Kagome alone. He glanced briefly at her. Yes, he had enjoyed her presence very much. Still did.  
..that thought alone gave him a guitly conscience. What about Kikyou?  
  
The dog-demon wasn't dumb, he knew -even if he would never ever confess that towards her- that Kagome was the most important of the group to him. He only was afraid to look just how much 'important'.  
And besides, Kikyou was important too, she had to be. They had been in love, he just knew it, even though they had never trusted each other like he could with Kagome. Still, the priestess, despite her hatred and desperate disappointment at this fateful day, rather chose to die with him than cure herself and life on without him. He owed her *something* for this, at the very least.  
And he couldn't scold her for what she was doing now either. She was a splittered piece of a great soul drenched in the muddled negative feelings that Naraku had created and caught in a body that smelled of coldness, earth and old bones.  
Kikyou deserved nothing of this, fate was cruel to her very being. And all of this to the woman he once loved.  
Inuyasha had vowed that as long as Kikyou didn't find the peaceful rest that she more than deserved he wouldn't let himself seek any happiness, he was obliged to the priestess.  
  
Nevertheless, all of this was what his head was telling him, what he wanted to do desperately to make up, a little bit at least. And even though the dog-demon's head reminded and reminded Inuyasha of Kikyou and that he owned her... he couldn't stop feeling...  
  
His heart, his emotions, his whole body - nothing would listen because it was Kagome who he desired, it was walking like this with his arm around her, it was staying with her that he never wanted to stop doing and he knew it.  
  
  
His head might keep telling him about honour and love and guilt but his stubborn heart wouldn't listen no matter what reasoning. Try as he may.  
  
  
  
  
During this time of self-anaysis Inuyasha kept staring ahead in a quite unfocused kind of way. The rain with it's soothing sound kept pouring down, sometimes lighter, sometimes stronger. Kagome had noticed Inuyasha's serious expression some while ago and immediately felt bad about enjoying his company so much.  
His eyes, when thinking of her, always showed the same pain of inner torture.  
  
*Kikyou*  
  
Kagome thought sadly, *He's never able to forget about her*...  
  
She drew herself even closer to the hanyou, like a baby child that had cried and now wanted to be comforted by the mother - though Kagome wasn't sure whether she played the role of the baby child or the one of the mother.  
  
However, her depressing mood was immediately distracted and forgotten when Kagome's hand touched his side lightly and nearly instantly his whole body jerked.  
She didn't really know what that jerk was supposed to be so she slowly withdrew her hand just to feel him twiching again. She questioningly looked up at Inuyasha, one thin eyebrow rising.  
  
"Leave that be, wench" he commanded.  
Kagome slowly grinned. *may it be* she thought...  
  
She let her hand repeat it's previous action. And it had the same result, the demon twiched around! Even if he tried to surpress it, of course...  
  
"Inuyasha? Pray tell, the mighty and fearless Inuyasha isn't ticklish, is he?"  
  
She grinned openly at him. She looked quite sexy like that but Inuyasha immediately shoved that thought back in the dark and dusty corner of his mind where it came from.  
"I am not" he replied moodily.  
  
"Oh really..." Kagome started letting her fingers brush up and down his side. She could feel him shudder in order to surpress any reaction to her touch.  
  
He gave her the look. "I know very well that _you_ are ticklish so in your place I wouldn't mess with me."  
"Attack!" Kagome laughed and let her hand dug into his undershirt to tickle the skin of his one side. For half a moment he got his winds knocked out, his mouth opened -even the fangs showed- as he did what might be the beginning of a laugh. That brief half-laugh made him look very boyish, Kagome noted fondly. However, he quickly caught her hand regaining composure and pulled it out slowly.  
  
She saw it in his eyes, as if he would leap at her any moment. Wouldn't it still rain outside of the haori shelter she would have taken a few steps back in playful defense.   
"Inuyasha, I say the word" she warned, though any serious tone was missing.  
"I'll just reach out and take you down with me. so, depends on how much you want a mud bath" And before she could say anything else he charged.  
  
He knew quite well where to tickle her, she wondered from where. His claws carefully brushed up and down her lower sides and belly and Kagome laughed so hard that tears came to her eyes. Actually she wanted to be angry; her backpack was tossed onto the wet and dirty ground and the haori flew down as well.  
Inuyasha tickled Kagome in the rain and though an bystanding person may not find it so funny, the schoolgirl laughed fully from within her heart until her legs grew weak and she had trouble standing. She tried to defend her, to flee from his hands somehow but there was no chance to win against the hanyou. So, still laughing she had to surrender and hope for him to stop soon before she would die of a lack of breathe.  
  
with a self-satisfying smirk Inuyasha held his girl from the future until her laughter subsided and she would stand on her own legs again.  
  
"Now look what you've done" Kagome complained, a laughter bubbling out of her every now and then. Both were absolutely wet through, the rain pouring down on them like a shower. Kagome was glad that she didn't wear makeup, otherwise she would look like a clown now. Inuyasha's hair was plastered against his head and his ears appeared bigger than ever. Kagome thought that they both looked probably rather pathetical standing in the rain like this and that only about 200 feet away from the shelter of the village. "silly dog" she added.  
  
Finally she looked up in his eyes and the warm look he gave her surprised her... it sent butterflies to her stomach like nothing else could.  
  
"Inu-" she started...  
  
  
  
tbc 


	5. koisuru k Finish

--------------  
Koisuru finish  
  
Koisuru K.  
by kitty  
--------------  
  
  
Inuyasha held Kagome in his arms. Her little form was all wet and she shivered a bit but her eyes were sparkling at him and he couldn't help but feel like this was how it was supposed to be. It felt so right and he wanted it more than anything else at the moment. More than anything ever.  
All his thoughts from yesterday, the night of the NewMoon, kept rushing back to him, how much he had wanted to kiss her that time, how much he could enjoy everything about her.  
  
'Kikyou, Kikyou!' his conscience would scream at him but now -though his mind registered her name, registered what he still owed her- nothing could react to the name anymore.   
Kikyou, the dead priestess, still existed but she had passed on in the hanyou's heart. A heart that beat for Kagome now.  
  
Kagome looked at him doubtfully, not fully comprehending this new change of atmosphere or what she was supposed to do. Inuyasha openly stared at her and that alone was a miracle to her, not even to speak of his eyes which showed her...what, affection?  
  
  
Affection. If only Kagome knew that there was much more to it, that probably it was this very moment that Inuyasha, a dog-demon who once had claimed to hate her and everything human with her, completed his long fall for this very human girl in front of him.  
But all he knew at the moment were how appealing her lips looked, how inviting her smile was. He had wanted to kiss her back then already and damn him he wanted to kiss her now. What actually had ever been there to make him stop? To hell with his world if he didn't act for once on what could be his happiness...  
  
  
Slowly Inuyasha bent towards her face. She didn't back away, but neither did she bent towards him - in fact she was just too surprised to move at all.  
  
He knew full well that Kagome would instantly sit him if she didn't want any of this and that he would never be able to live through the embarrassment and shame her rejection would give him. He'd rather take a hundred blows than hear an Osuwari now.   
  
But, assuring him, she didn't look frightened. Though it still was raining he could feel her breathe on his face speed up and hear her heart beat quicker.  
*She feels nervous* Inuyasha told himself *heck, *I*'m nervous!...*  
  
An inch away from her lips he stopped, looking into her eyes again for an endless second. Water ran down her face, her hair plastered to her head while her bags hang her in the eyes, just like his own did, and dropped heavily from the wetness.   
  
"Inu-" Kagome wanted to start again but the hanyou stopped waisting time and pressed his lips to hers.  
  
  
  
She felt him trembling slightly but she doubted it was because of the coldness, Inuyasha never froze, not even in winter. He was nervous, she guessed and which she found incredibly cute. Her self-confident love Inuyasha was obviously just as insecure and excited as she was, at least that was what she felt. And that he allowed her to see him in such a light, vulnerable emotions, that meant more than the world to her.  
He slowly brushed his lips over hers, caressing them tenderly but not daring to do anything else.  
  
*This is wonderful* Kagome thought dreamily, responding to him just in kind, maybe a bit more hesitate. She had always imagined Inuyasha to be a passionate lover, his demonic roughness never completely leaving him. Not that she was disappointed, mind you, because kissing in any way Inuyasha certainly knew how to. Kagome mmh-d, his kiss was sweet and so slow that probably because of that her world starting to spin *he's driving me crazy with this...* She thought fondly and couldn't help but moan quietly into his mouth...  
The sound she created made a shudder run down his spine. Still, he wanted to stay tender and careful with her as if he was afraid to break her. His fingers, deadly weapons with those sharp claws they possessed, brushed over her face delicately. She was so precious to him, he would never hurt her. He could not in a million years and not even then.   
She hadn't noticed since when she stood so near him with her hands on his chest, or since when he embrassed her like that with one hand cupping her face the other resting on her back but she did notice that she needed breathe. She reluctantly and slowly pushed away, distancing herself just the tiniest bit from him. But she hardly had time to even open her eyes before he would kiss her again, more confident and like his heart was begging her not to stop when this was so beautiful.  
  
She was certainly surpirsed when she suddenly felt his tounge in her mouth touching hers, it was something new to the both of them and thus both were very hesitate about it but within moments the pair grew eager and neither one could get enough of the other. It became more and more heated, their kiss becoming so passionate Kagome thought her heart would explode and all the happy emotions inside her needed to be screamed out into the world... that is until Kagome finally was made to notice that her system really ran out of breathe. With some effort she pushed away, for the first few seconds just keeping her eyes closed and trying to catch her breath. Then she finally opened her eyes and regarded him closely, waiting for him to say something.  
  
But he just stared blankly back at her, unsure of himself. She obviously didn't plan on making the next step, whereever that next step was supposed to lead to. How was he supposed to act now, should he say something? Was he supposed to explain? What exactly did he have to explain? All he could think of was the feeling on his lips from her kiss, the feeling from her touch and her scent that her closeness presented him despite the rain. Everything apart that was a blurr, he couldn't remember what made them stand there, what made him act like he did.  
  
Just this one thing: Gods, had he just kissed Kagome?   
  
What had gotten into him?! How could he just like that...this would change everyting! She was safer being just his friend...  
Suddenly images of a dead Kikyou appeared before his eye. And the days spent in agony as he vowed to never fall in love again when Kagome slept right among his branch. Then the face of Kikyou disappeared but the glutinous dark reddish liquid kept oozing, soaking clothes and ground...soaking the green short skirt - Kagome! He saw himself standing before her cooling body watching with fascination as she breathed out her life having had too much faith in his demon blood, in the monster he acutally was.  
Then his eyes slowly fixed back, looking into hers. Kagome wondered how this beautiful golden sparkles in his eyes could shimmer so glassy all of the sudden.  
  
She neither knew what to say or do, how to break the silence after your first kiss like that?? In the movies they always just _started_ a kiss and never showed what to do _after_ them! What did Inuyasha mean by it, did it acutally mean something to him? Gods, was it even *her* he kissed? The next instant she felt bad for mistrusting him so badly, how could she always and again fall back on that... he had said so himself once, hadn't he: "Kikyou ga Kikyou, Kagome ga Kagome."  
  
Suddenly a cold wind blew up again and the schoolgirl unwilligly started to shiver.  
  
Inuyasha finally broke their stare and sighed trying to somehow ease the pain clowding his heart, though he did it so soundlessly that Kagome couldn't and didn't hear it.  
He disentagled, turned around and headed for the backpack and his haori.  
"You should get inside over there before you get sick, Kagome" he called back over his shoulder, looking towards the houses, his voice kept painfully emotionless.  
  
It took Kagome a moment to react, "Un" she answered dumbly. She didn't really understand what actually was now happening here. What did that kiss a few moments ago mean? It suddenly seemed like something she'd just imagined. But no, she still could taste him on her lips, still feel them tingle from his pressure, still feel all her hopes and joy beat strongly in her chest. Didn't this have any meaning at all?  
she felt terribly confused... and arkward just standing there.  
  
"Come girl" he said, releasing the both of them. In silence they started to run towards the village, the rain rushing down.  
And though the dog-demon didn't run ahead despite his capability to, he did not carry Kagome on his back.  
  
-- -  
  
  
  
After a few minutes of running they arrived at those huts. There were just five of them, two smalls ones on the one side of the road, two small and a bigger one on the other side. Just within the greater hut they saw a dim light flickering through what would be a small window.  
Kagome felt oddly unwelcomed, their arrival just annouced by the soft splashing noise their feet made because of the muddy puddles. No people, no voices. Just a dark night and the rain and houses with doors shut. Maybe it were just her emotions that made her see everything like that, Kagome told herself sadly.  
Before the feeling to crouch down and cry overwhelmed her her eyes caught something familiar and her heart clang in release to the distraction: a huge and old looking kind of board leaned next to the doorframe of the big hut, it's shape looking oddly like a giant boomerang. With the wetness and the pale light of the window shimmering on it Hiraikotsu looked more than ever like what it actually was: a mighty weapon out of youkai bones, telling the regarder only stories of kill.  
  
*Sango* Kagome reminded herself. That was what Hiraikotsu should and would only remind her about and who was a hell of a more pleasant thought than the preview ones. Inuyasha seemed not as much impressed to find Sango's equipment lying here of all places being tied skillfully to the hut.  
Without communication both, Kagome and Inuyasha, went to enter the small place.  
  
-- -  
  
  
The wet pair had just passed the doorframe when a tablet crashed to the floor, cups shattering on the ground. The elderly woman who had held it once stood there like a deer caught in the headlines, fear written all over her face. The two men sitting at the fireplace, turning around as their backs had been to the door, stared just as shocked at the strangers.  
  
"Yo..youkai" the woman stammered, trembling.   
  
"Sade, the speers! Fast!" the older one of the two men finally ordered after coming over his shock though it was more than obvious that neither of the two would posses the strenghth to fight Inuyasha, probably not even Kagome.  
  
"No, calm down please!" a girl in the background soothed making handsigns to relax. She was kneeing on the other side of the fireplace and Kagome gratefully noticed that it turned out to be Sango.   
"Those are friends of us, you needn't be afraid." Miroku continued while raising from his place besides the demon-huntress to lay his hands in a non-hentai but reassuring way on the shoulders of the old lady.  
  
A audible sigh of relief was heard from the older man as he smiled slightly. "Well, friends of yours, monk, are friends of ours. Please enter and be welcomed."  
The woman -to Kagome's relief- seemed not to have suffered from a heart-attack and kneed down to collect the shattered tone cups on the floor. "Oh dear" she said "look how clumsy I've been."  
"Ah, wait, let me-" Kagome offered wanting to start to help the woman but before she could move Sade, a young though rather unattractive man, cathegory usually-not-noticed, stopped her:  
"Oh please, you seem to be very wet and cold. I will bring a cloth to dry you and later you can change into.. something..." he paused, regarding Kagome's strange clothes closely and losing his track of thoughts. You could see the girl's legs! A lot of them in fact! He had never ever seen so much female leg. Either this young girl was a youkai in disguise or a prositute of the city for her youkai lord. Sade's eyes wandered up to the strange, seemingly very thin white cloth she -  
A growl made Sade snap out of it and turning towards the source the young man met with Inuyasha's angered gaze. "Don't touch! Don't look! All mine!" his look, his whole body language stated clearly and threateningly. Sade was more than quickly convinced to not investigate the stranger any further and better retreat from the woman too. So she was his concubine. Damn his luck.  
"Stay here." Sade quickly excused rushing in the little room nearby to fetch whatever they used as towels.   
  
"Damn idiot" Inuyasha cursed under his breathe and walked gruffily over to the fire place to settle there, wetting the floor the whole way there in the process. Sango who had finished helping the old lady went back to her former place and also Miroku settled down again.  
"You seem to be a bit stressed out, ne, Inuyasha?" the 'monk' bravely and teasingly commented.  
  
"Fuck of, houshi" the hanyou snarled back.   
  
*Woah!* Miroku and Sango thought at the same moment.   
  
"Did something happen Kagome-chan?"   
Sango carefully asked Kagome who still stood near the door, trying to drop as less as possible. "Ahm" Kagome looked up from her skirt, startled.  
  
Luckily for Kagome she didn't need to answer because at that moment Sade returned handing her a huge thick cloth to dry herself. Sade was very grateful that the demon wasn't standing besides her anymore.  
"Thank you very much" Kagome said, smiling a weak still friendly smile towards Sade.  
  
Someone harshly breathed out and a "Keh" followed. Inuyasha looked pointedly away from Kagome and felt more angry than he himself could understand. He folded his arms within his haori but the wetness of the cloth clinging to his skin and which on top slowly became damp next to the fire made the whole situation even more uncomfortable for him.  
  
What the heck was just wrong with him all of the sudden, he wondered. He couldn't think straight anymore! Damn this fool over there, *his* Kagome would smile at *him* and not at some farmer's idiotic brat. The dog-demon knew for once that he overreacted but it damn right felt like that boy wanted to take something that obviously belonged to Inuyasha and Inuyasha alone.  
  
Kagome didn't know what to make out of Inuyasha's strange behaviour. First he seemed to willingly enjoy his time with her, enjoy her touch, even kiss her for God's sake and then he turns her down, being cold as ice to her heart! With his pained look and silence right after the kiss he could have as well told her that he didn't mean it, or that he didn't like it, or maybe even he didn't like her in that way. Still, he chose to not even speak to her at all and now this all of the sudden? Couldn't he make up his mind?!  
  
"Where's Shippou?" the school girl asked, distracting herself with the question and finally but absentmindly rubbing her skin with the acient towel.  
"He's fallen asleep in the hut next door, Kirara is with him." Sango explained "Shippou was a great help, he could keep track of the youkai's smell all the way until the rain started." the exterminator continued proudly.  
"So the youkai took your route" Kagome concluded.  
"Kirara certainly didn't need any help of that annoying useless brat" Inuyasha spat out as if he was disgusted from a bad taste. Though, actually the disgust was not at all directed towards Shippou... Inuyasha didn't know at whom the disgust was directed.  
Well, maybe Sade.  
  
Kagome however got angry now. If Shippou would hear this! The small kitsune had spend all his energy on trying to be a big help - sure, Kirara probably didn't need his help but still! The little kid was looking up towards Inuyasha, might they quarrel as they want, Inuyasha's opinion was important to Shippou and if that moody dog-demon over there was for once honest with his feelings he might discover that he liked Shippou just as much back! What was it with that Inuyasha anyway! This absolut jerk having no clue about emotions and feelings of a girl! This...this..baka!  
  
"Inuyasha! Osuwari!!"  
  
  
  
And with that Kagome stormed out fuming and leaving with the old lady, Saiko, for the other room to change her clothes.   
"Bitch" Inuyasha breathed out painfully but she was gone anyway.  
  
-- -  
  
  
  
Kagome returned 20 minutes later. She felt a lot better now, having calmed down in the small room there and getting rid of most of those emotions that were in turmoil thanks to Inuyasha's what-ever-it-was-action in the rain. He was either angry about what happened or wanted obviously to act as if he had never kissed her and well, okay. If he wanted it to be that way then fine. It had been her first kiss but fine, fine, fine. Maybe it was best to just see it as a wish fulfilled. Now things would go back to normal.  
She took one more minute for these thoughts to register in her mind. Back to how things were, right? Right.  
Okay. Accept it.  
  
Having cleared her mind Kagome entered the main room again. Inuyasha briefly passed her a glance, acknowledging her return. She waited for any harsh comment to come but the hanyou kept silent. Maybe he had settled down too.  
She sat down to the group at the fireplace, next to Sango who happily chattered with Sade and Saiko's husband Tomoe about youkai defense for the village.  
  
*Okay, remember, everything back to normal.* Kagome reassured herself, warming her hands at the fire.  
"Dear, are you still cold?" Saiko asked, handing her a cup of hot tea.  
"No, thanks. I'm warming up very well and I'm very greatful for you letting me wear your old kimono." she answered, tucking on the cloth for emphasize.  
"You're welcome. It's a bit oversized for you and worn out too but the colour looks very nice on you. You have a beautiful face." Saiko complimented.  
Kagome was reminded on her grandma. She couldn't remember very much about her but the school girl was sure that if her grandma was still alive she certainly would be as nice and heartwarming as Saiko was.  
  
"Arigatou" Kagome said, looking down a bit shyly her cheeks rosening. After a while of smiling to herself she let her eyes wander from her lap, *What a nice atmosphere* ...over the fire, *such a nice family* ...over to Sango next to her *safe with my friends who are having a good time* and finally over her dog-demon, *...and with Inuyasha.* her thoughts wandered.  
  
When her eyes reached his she caught him staring back at her but within half a moment he broke their contact and regarded the small flames of the fire instead.  
  
*and who kissed me today.* she continued *I don't know what he thinks about it but I'll never forget it. It'll be forever in my memory.*  
She regarded him for a while longer, the fire highlighting his hair. Somehow this image and her thoughs brought peace and contentment to her and smiling she also settled for regarding the fire.  
  
  
  
Until late night Sango and Miroku told about their trip and difficulties, little funny episodes they experienced the last few days and how they finally managed to end up here which was pure coincidence.  
At times Kagome would add what they did around that particular time, or how they managed to deal with the weather that day. All in all it was a nice way to end their seperated journey, the people living in the hut of this quiet area being fascinated listeners. They wanted to hear more about their strange guests and so with cups of tea and hot milk and the fire crackling in the background, Sango, Miroku and Kagome told a few episodes of their adventures, Inuyasha occasionally commenting. He actually seemed to have cooled down and his normal self again, Kagome noticed reliefed. Of course, after their kiss she could have hoped for more but on the other hand she could have lost a lot just as likely, so she was content with what she had had.  
Soon lost in their story-telling Kagome didn't notice Inuyasha glance at her every once in a while.  
  
  
-- -   
  
  
  
  
  
2 in the morning. Everybody had gone to bed, the girls getting the main room with the warm fire to sleep while Inuyasha and Miroku slept in the smaller room where Kagome had changed earlier. The family living here slept in the third and last room of the hut.   
However, Kagome could absolutely not sleep. The rain outside had stopped, just sometimes you would hear a drop or two splash it's way down from leafs or roofs. She couldn't use her sleeping back or her own clothes because it was all still too damp so she slept in a 'comfortable' Sengoku Jidai Futo, still wearing the old dark blue  
kimono the kind Saiko had given her. Now all she could do was wait for sleep to claim her but it just wouldn't claim.  
It was not that her thoughts would be troubling her, she actually was at peace with her mind. At least she told herself to be. But somehow, she kept turning around and around, she wouldn't sleep try as she may.  
  
"What is it, Kagome-chan? Is something troubling you?" Sango asked quietly, not in the least sounding annoyed but rather worried.  
"No, Gomen ne, Sango-chan. I just can't sleep that's all." Kagome said turing towards her friend.  
  
Sango just raised a thin eyebrow in suspicion.  
"No, really." Kagome assured. "I guess it's just this futo, I'm used to sleeping in my bed or at least in my sleeping bag with Shippou to cuddle." *It has absolutely nothing to do with Inuyasha and his kiss* she reminded herself forcefully.  
  
"Mmh, I can't help you with your sleeping bag but we could bring Shippou here."  
"Oh, don't bother" Kagome started but Sango got already in a sitting position.  
"No, I would also feel better with Kirara with me, I'm so used to his presence. I'm trying to bring them without waking anyone up, Shippou included - he'll be happy to wake up in your arms tomorrow. And anyway, it'll do me some good to get out and get rid of all that tea, you know..." the girls giggled softly and finally Kagome nodded her okay.   
And so, within a few moments Sango was out and Kagome could do nothing but settle down again until she returned.  
  
  
Suddenly she felt Inuyasha's presence near by. Very near by. Her brows knitted in confusion as she looked over her right shoulder. *Inu..?* she thought  
- but there was nothing.  
She turned over to the other side and was half way met with Inuyasha's face. She jumped a bit, her heart skipping a beat, out of her shock as to his sudden appearance or simply his sudden closeness to her, she didn't know.  
She put a hand over her heart in order to calm it.  
  
"Gods, Inuyasha, don't scare me like that" she hissed surpressing her volume.  
  
But instead of looking into his usual scowling face Kagome found an expression she had never see him wear before. She was sure it must have been born in his childhood days when he still was a little puppy because it looked absolutely trusting and more over so hopeful, like a cute small kid asking sweetly 'can I have more please'.  
  
Before Kagome could finish that train of thought Inuyasha captured her lips again and kissed her for a second time. To say Kagome was surprised if not shocked would be an understatment. However, after a few seconds her emotions swept her away and she couldn't help but respond to him. The hanyou kissed her from the very start with such a passion and need that this kiss -if possible- was even better than the first one.  
She tangled her hands in his hair, a small part of her wondering for the thousandth time about it's silkyness. Inuyasha's hands circled around her waist, trying to bring her closer to him. Jesus, he kissed her like there was no tomorrow and it was so wonderful.  
  
But so was his first kiss and she didn't want to get hurt like that again afterwards. So again, she was the one to push away from him. For a little while both were just panting heavily until Kagome finally had collected enough courage and looked him in the eyes.  
  
"What does this mean, Inuyasha?" she whispered, all hr courage leaving her with the words out.  
  
For a moment or two she feared he wouldn't answer her at all and leave her alone here in the dark, maybe throwing a "feh" at her if she was lucky.  
But...  
  
"I..." he started and looked down at her lap watching her pale smooth hands. "It means that.." he looked up again a slightly pained expression washing over his features "it means that ever since that time in the rain I can't stop thinking about... ...you.. in that way." he blushed, the pained look leaving his face as his gaze left her "your lips, your touch, what it felt like... I know that we shouldn't...be together with all what could happen and, and how things are but" he thought about her belonging to the future, he thought about her leaving him. He breathed out heavily. "But I can't stop wanting it."   
He met her eyes again and continued "ever since that moment I can't help but want to be with you like that again, Kagome."  
  
Kagome felt her eyes sting, tears threatening to spill. She couldn't believe in the words Inuyasha confessed, maybe he was just confused or maybe he didn't know what he himself was saying. Maybe she just had misunderstood, heard what she wanted him to say?   
Hesitatingly hope tried to voice itself: Could it be that the dog-demon really wanted to be with her?  
  
She knew how dumb it could be to push her luck but for once Kagome needed to risk it. She needed to be sure, needed a clear answer for her heart. Maybe she would hate herself in the future for this but she needed to know...  
  
  
  
"Why?" she simply asked with a shaking voice. "Why can't you stop it?"  
  
  
  
Inuyasha felt his heart beat so loud that she could certainly hear it, just like he could hear hers.  
  
The few seconds of silence felt like an eternity to the both of them.  
  
  
  
"I fell in love with you." he told her slowly, silently.  
  
  
  
Kagome's heart stood still. She searched for any clue of untruth in his eyes, something that told her that this all was a trick on her but she found nothing of it. Just two pure eyes staring back at her with all the honesty Kagome had always hoped for.  
For the split of a second the fearless Inuyasha was terrified when Kagome had tears running down her cheeks. Though it were just her pent-up emotions that needed release he was deadly afraid that he had misjudged, that Kagome didn't feel what he was feeling. He supposed that it would feel better if Naraku ripped his heart out of his living body than what he felt that very moment.  
  
Then, without warning, Kagome flung herself at him, sobbing and crying for all she was worth.  
  
"Oh Inuyasha" she sobbed desperately "tell me this is no dream!" she cried though she was not loud enough to wake anyone "I love you too, I love you so much!"...  
  
  
Minutes were spent just with the sound of her sobbing while the two held on to the other.  
  
  
"No." Inuyasha finally said to her and made Kagome stop her heart-wrenching sobbing with that. Her last remaining tears still ran down her face, a few gathered like watery pearls on the rim of her eyes.   
Confused about the 'no' she looked up at him.  
  
"no dream" he told her, his arms encircling her body to draw her closer.  
  
He closed his eyes and let his forehead touch hers.  
  
  
"Koisuru Kagome"   
  
  
  
  
  
Their third kiss Kagome started.  
  
  
-- -  
  
  
  
Sango had needed more time than she first had thought. Now, with Shippou deep in slumber within her arms and Kirara following close behind her she tried to enter the hut without making any noise in case Kagome had finally fallen asleep.  
Kagome had indeed fallen asleep just not at all like Sango would have expected.   
  
She lay in Inuyasha's lap, both resting near the fire and obviously having fallen asleep there, the dog-demon included. He would rather kiss Kouga than be caught like this, now wouldn't he, Sango wondered. Inuyasha's arms encircled her whole form protectively, her head was tucked under his chin so that his cheek rested against her forehead. Also they had Kagome's cover tucked around them both.  
  
Sango smiled knowingly at the pair. Didn't they look sweet. Silently she tiptoed over to them, hoping that Inuyasha wouldn't acknowledge her presence subconciously as danger.   
It turned out he didn't. For that alone Sango wanted to say 'thank you' to their demonic friend after all the trouble she had caused him but she rather not wake those two up. She carefully placed Shippou in Kagome's lap who soon freed one of her arms that encircled Inuyasha's neck and hugged Shippou close to them.  
  
  
Sango smiled. Yes, they did look sweet.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
----- END ------  
  
  
Yes, what a sappy ending but well, it's rated romance in the first place and I like sweet endings.  
I didn't think that this fic would turn out to become 5 chapters long. Originally it was a one-shot whose story-line came rushing to me while I was trying to fall asleep. It was pretty funny because I couldn't make any light in order not to wake anyone so I noted my ideas on a piece of paper writing completely blind (I could hardly read it the next morning!). 'Koisuru Kagome' got 30 reviews up to now and I loved (and still do) every single one so much that I wanted to continue on the story somehow, and the result of it you just read here.  
Two minor things about this chapter: my Japanese is practically non-existant, so I don't know if I used it right. And about Kirara, well I don't know what the.. the gender of that cat is...somehow I always thought it was a girl (don't know why, Kirara sounds like it) but on the Movie's subtitle it's a he...   
I know that in later chapters the charas act more and more OOC but I coudln't help that (I think just in the 1st chapter I managed no OOC, at least I hope that) - but still I hope you liked the story anyway! ^_^  
  
Please tell me what you thought about it and thanks to those who reviewed already, I really mean it.  
  
Yours kitty. 


End file.
